My First League Match

[Guest]

 

I was a newcomer to speedway in 1946 and New Cross was my local team. The first ever National League match I saw involved West Ham as the visitors.

It was on Wednesday April 24 1946 and New Cross won 46-36. The Rangers named team that night was Ron Johnson, Phil Bishop, Les Wotton, Mick Mitchell, Geoff Pymar, Jack Cooley, Fred Taylor, Jack White.

The Rangers actually used inly seven riders because Bishop was a non-starter. And the name that sticks out in my mind most from that match - I don't know why now - was Jack Cooley.

And looking at the side I wonder who Fred Taylor was and what became of him?

Edited January 20, 2015 by Guest

[Guest]

Here's a photo of Jack Cooley, on left, taken at New Cross in 1948. On the bike is the legendary woman rider Fay Taylor, while also seen is West Ham and England rider Malcolm Craven. The photo was part of the publicity for the speedway film 'Once A Jolly Swagman' in which Cooley was a double for the speedway action scenes.

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Here's the details for the first National League match I saw on April 24, 1946:

New Cross 46:

Ron Johnson 12, Les Wotton 11, Geoff Pymar 10, Mick Mitchell 8, Jack Cooley 5, Fred Taylor 0, Jack White 0, Phil Bishop did not ride.

West Ham 36:

​Eric Chitty 10, Malcolm Craven 7, Colin Watson 6, George Bason 4, George Gower 3, Bert Roger 3, Frank Lawrence 2, Ron Howes 1.

Edited March 4, 2017 by Guest

[customhouseregular]

It's not only us 'ammers who have great memories of west Ham

[keef robin]

My first match New Cross-Ackney Awks 1963

[steve roberts]

My first was Oxford v Coventry when 'Cassius' Middleton relieved Nigel Boocock of the Golden Helmet in 1972!

[Guest]

My first match New Cross-Ackney Awks 1963

 

Here's an action photo from that meeting beefy beefy:

Friday 12th April 1963 New Cross Stadium, London

New Cross Rangers 45 Hackney Wick Hawks 33 (Southern League)

 

New Cross 1963. Opening meeting of season. Eddie and Reg Reeves (New Cross) lead Hackney's Wal Morton.

Edited March 7, 2017 by Guest

[keef robin]

Here's an action photo from that meeting beefy beefy:

Friday 12[/size]th [/size]April 1963 New Cross Stadium, London[/size]

 

 

 

New Cross Rangers 45 Hackney Wick Hawks 33 (Southern League) [/size]

 

 

 

 

New Cross 1963. Opening meeting of season. Eddie and Reg Reeves (New Cross) lead Hackney's Wal Morton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fantastic...cheers, Christ that makes me ancient! Squibb was top rider. Unfortunately they didn't see the season out, those orange and black rangers. I was 7 then, lived in Nunhead se15.

[norbold]

My first match New Cross-Ackney Awks 1963

I was at that meeting. I don't remember seeing you there!

[Guest]

My first match New Cross-Ackney Awks 1963

 

 

I was at that meeting. I don't remember seeing you there!

 

As a matter of interest - what was the first speedway meeting you saw norbold?

[iris123]

 

 

 

As a matter of interest - what was the first speedway meeting you saw norbold?

First meeting or first league meeting?

 

I think Norbolds first meeting was a Britannia Shield meeting

 

http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=78568&hl=cross&do=findComment&comment=2573418

 

Guessing he was hooked after that,then his first leage meeting might well have been 01.06 v Ipswich

Edited March 7, 2017 by iris123

[norbold]

First meeting or first league meeting?

 

I think Norbolds first meeting was a Britannia Shield meeting

 

http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=78568&hl=cross&do=findComment&comment=2573418

 

Guessing he was hooked after that,then his first leage meeting might well have been 01.06 v Ipswich

I was hooked well before I actually saw a meeting live. I was steeped in a family speedway tradition. Two of my uncles were regulars before the War, sometimes doing the traditional six in a week. After the War, in the late 1940s, my dad and brother went to Harringay on a regular basis. When I was born I was named after Norman Parker. I remember seeing some of the World Finals of the 1950s on television and I avidly followed all speedway results in the newspapers. By the time I was about eight or nine I used to ride my bike around the field where I lived and usually pretended to be Split Waterman, Aub Lawson or Brian Crutcher.

 

The reason I went to the meeting on 11 May 1960 was because I saw it advertised in the Evening News my dad brought home from work that night and I asked if we could go so I could actually see the sport I was already madly in love with long before I ever went!

[Sidney the robin]

Cant remember who the meeting was against it was in 68/69 going with my uncle and then i was hooked.The smell the noise collecting the riders tear/offs and later getting some autographs.After that Speedway has stayed in my life all my youth took up by speedway a lasting memory was seeing Fundin at the Abbey and Briggo beating him.(that made a change😅)

Edited March 8, 2017 by Sidney the robin

[BOBBATH]

Fantastic...cheers, Christ that makes me ancient! Squibb was top rider. Unfortunately they didn't see the season out, those orange and black rangers. I was 7 then, lived in Nunhead se15.

Hey Beefy you are not ancient- I was 17 in 1963!!!!!!!!!. My first League Match was Newport v. Long Eaton in 1964 if the Southern League counts!!!!!!!!!!!). Re Squibb-great rider and character he was riding well into his forties-bet if he was alive he'd still be riding!!

[Andy Downes]

First match - Crayford v Nottingham Outlaws. Persuaded by my younger brother to give him a lift on my bike

 

I remember Crayford won by about 8 points and their No. 1 rider (later found out it was Mike Sampson) thrashed all the home ones

 

I did about every other meeting until the 4's that year which Crayford won - I got hooked that day and foolishly thought Crayford were a major force in the second flight - little did I realise

that day was just about the highlight of the (original) Kestrels existance

[BOBBATH]

Educated guess- I reckon Norbold's two meetings that he saw at Harringay were The Internationale(1960-maybe), and the PLRC Riders Championship (1960) which Trevor Redmond should have won but his engine failed and Reg Reeves took it. Am I right o great one-if so please pass me the next round of jellied eels....

[steve roberts]

First match - Crayford v Nottingham Outlaws. Persuaded by my younger brother to give him a lift on my bike

 

I remember Crayford won by about 8 points and their No. 1 rider (later found out it was Mike Sampson) thrashed all the home ones

 

I did about every other meeting until the 4's that year which Crayford won - I got hooked that day and foolishly thought Crayford were a major force in the second flight - little did I realise

that day was just about the highlight of the (original) Kestrels existance

One of my favourite riders from that era. Very under-rated in my view as he was instrumental in helping 'The Rebels' win the League title in 1977 with some striking performances whilst covering for the injured Paul Gachet.

[Sidney the robin]

Sampson was very impressive for Nottingham riding with Dave Perks.I see Sampson ride for Exeter/ White City/Cradley(in a Penhall side)in the BL cerainly a BL rider very capable

Edited March 9, 2017 by Sidney the robin

[keef robin]

I was at that meeting. I don't remember seeing you there!

I saw you, wearing a Gaberdine mac, orange scarf, a deerstalker, and pink winklepickers, orange trousers, carrying an umbrella, and smoking a pipe

Edited March 11, 2017 by beefy keefy

[BOBBATH]

' Ang on Norbold that was the exact outfit you were wearing at the British Final in 1965 also!!

[norbold]

I saw you, wearing a Gaberdine mac, orange scarf, a deerstalker, and pink winklepickers, orange trousers, carrying an umbrella, and smoking a pipe

Oh, you did see me then.

' Ang on Norbold that was the exact outfit you were wearing at the British Final in 1965 also!!

No sense in wasting a good outfit.